


a sketch of the rain inside

by spikeymarshmallows



Series: two boys emerging from shadowed hallways [4]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: First Time, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:54:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24649819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikeymarshmallows/pseuds/spikeymarshmallows
Summary: The water was freezing and it took Diego's breath away, but he didn't dare move to turn it off. The cold was secondary to helping Klaus through whatever this was. He wrapped his arms around Klaus' too-thin, shaking body and tried to shield him from the downpour.He wasn't angry now, just driven by a blind panic that something was terribly, horribly wrong, and he didn't know what it was, but he had to fix it. He had to fix it, lest something be irreparably broken.*Diego hadn't meant to fuck up the way he had.
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves/Klaus Hargreeves
Series: two boys emerging from shadowed hallways [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695337
Comments: 29
Kudos: 212





	a sketch of the rain inside

**Author's Note:**

> for [this thingo](https://spikeymarshmallows.tumblr.com/post/615518266318864384/so-like-im-sitting-here-not-feeling-like).
> 
> _prompt: I didn't want you to see me like this_
> 
> This directly follows [this piece](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24619618) and is the comfort for the hurt. It's kinda gross and sappy.

Klaus had been in the shower for a long time, and Diego was getting worried. Once, he might have told himself he was being ridiculous about such concerns, but enough shit had gone wrong by now that he felt more than justified.

He chewed the inside of his lower lip until it hurt, and tried to busy himself by sharpening his knives. They were getting on, and he needed some new ones, or to sneak back into the Academy and get his old ones, but… They weren't a priority for now.

Sharpening the knives was soothing, and he sank into the weird meditative state that came with this particular task. Around him, the world got dark quickly. Diego flicked the little lamp beside the bed on, and its bright fluorescent light made the shadows in the room stark.

Through the thin walls, he swore he heard a sound from the bathroom.

Diego stilled.

There was another sound. He stood.

The bathroom door was locked, but the lock was cheap and shitty and it didn't take more than a little jiggling of the handle to get it open.

In the bathroom, the sounds were louder. Klaus was sobbing in the shower as if his heart was breaking. Diego rushed into the shower, curling his arms around Klaus from where he was tucked in a ball on the floor.

The water was freezing and it took Diego's breath away, but he didn't dare move to turn it off. The cold was secondary to helping Klaus through whatever this was. He wrapped his arms around Klaus' too-thin, shaking body and tried to shield him from the downpour.

Klaus wailed and pressed his face into Diego's shoulder, throwing his arms around Diego's waist. Sobs wracked his body.

Diego's heart felt like it was splitting into a thousand pieces. Klaus was so cold, and the icy water had more than soaked through Diego's clothes and skin, and was beginning to settle in his bones.

He still didn't let go.

"I promise, whatever's wrong, I'll fix it," Diego said, mouth pressed to the top of Klaus' head. "I promise, whatever it takes. No matter who it is, or what happened, I'll fix it."

Klaus sobbed more and clutched more tightly at Diego.

Diego was shivering fiercely by the time Klaus' sobs eased.

"I'm sorry," Klaus whispered, voice so small that Diego might not have heard it if his face weren't pressed into Diego's neck. "I didn't want you to see me like this…"

Diego just hushed him, pressing more kisses to the top of his head, as if that might provide comfort that his words could not. When it finally seemed like the worst of the crying was over, Diego extricated himself enough that he could turn off the frigid water. Klaus was sagging against him and trying to steady his shuddering breaths; he was only moderately successful.

Diego grabbed the threadbare towels from the rack and wrapped them both around Klaus' bony shoulders, pulling him out of the shower so he could dry him. As he towelled Klaus off, he kept a careful eye out for any new bruises or cuts, any sign that Klaus had been hurt by one of the Johns he saw that day. There was nothing new though, which didn't comfort him nearly as much as he would have liked.

Once Klaus was mostly dry, Diego kept him wrapped in a towel as he quickly stripped off his sodden clothes and dried himself off as best he could. His teeth were chattering but he clenched his jaw so that they'd stop.

Klaus stood there, all long limbs, face puffy and pink, eyes red and lip still trembling. He sniffed loudly and wrinkled his nose before wiping it on the towel.

"Gross," Diego said.

Klaus shrugged and then blew his nose on it properly. "They need a wash anyway."

Klaus let the towel drop to the floor and got into the joggers, t-shirt and sweatshirt Diego gave him. He was shivering now too. Diego dressed quickly too before pushing Klaus down onto the little mattress on the floor, putting Klaus against the wall and wrapping him in a hug. The blanket was thin, and Diego would do whatever it took to make sure they had another blanket soon. He'd steal one if he had to.

Klaus' breathing was still shaky and Diego felt a few more tears soak into his neck. Klaus' hair was wet against his face, but Diego didn't dare let go.

"I'm sorry," Klaus whispered hoarsely again.

Diego shook his head. He didn't want Klaus to apologise for anything. "Did someone hurt you?"

Klaus inhaled sharply and shook his head slowly.

"Klaus," Diego said warningly.

"I don't want to talk about it." Klaus' voice was muffled.

Diego's stomach, which had been twisting and curling unpleasantly the whole time, tightened further. It might have been suffocating for someone that needed to breathe.

"Who hurt you?" Diego asked, almost growling.

"Diego, no." Klaus pulled back enough that he could look at his face. His lips were pressed tightly together and he bore the stubborn expression that Diego secretly harboured deep affection for.

"I don't want you doing this if it's going to do this to you," Diego said. He released his grip on Klaus' body when he saw Klaus' wince; he hadn't even realised he'd clenched his hands. "I don't care if we need the money. Work at a diner. Let me come with you so I can kick their ass if they try to hurt you. I don't care. I don't want you to get hurt."

"They didn't hurt me," Klaus said, visibly clenching his jaw.

"Then what happened?"

"Nothing happened!" Klaus' voice was getting shrill.

"Then why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Because it'll upset you!"

"Then I want to know, you dipshit."

"Don't call me a dipshit, asshole!"

Klaus was pulling away and trying to sit up. Diego sat up, the blanket puddling around their laps. Well, fighting was one way to warm up, he supposed. Klaus was scrambling, trying to get out of the bed, but was getting tangled in the blanket. He growled and swore as he fought it and got even more tangled.

Diego's hand wrapped around Klaus' upper arm, and Klaus tried and failed to shake him off.

"Let go of me," Klaus snarled.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"It's fine."

"Don't fucking tell me it's fine when I find you crying like a baby in the shower!"

"Well, maybe if you fucking touched me, I wouldn't be crying!"

Diego stopped, frowning in confusion this time. "What do you mean?" He unwittingly slackened his grip on Klaus' arm and Klaus shook him off.

"You tell me you love me, but you won't fucking touch me. Is this just some fucking ploy to try and keep me sober? Or am I just used goods to you?"

"I… W-w-w-what?" Diego asked, stunned. Everything in his world felt like it had been turned sideways but he didn't understand what was happening.

"Is that why you want me to stop all this? Don't wanna fuck some junkie little whore? Only wanna fuck me if I haven't been used by ten different men that week?" Klaus' voice was getting louder, and his cheeks, still pink from his crying, were now also flushed from an anger Diego didn't understand.

"K-k-k," Diego exhaled, angry at the way his mouth was struggling with the hard consonant.

"Just… Leave me alone," Klaus said, finally managing to extricate himself from the blankets and push off the mattress. Tears were starting to run down his face again, and he sobbed as he stood.

Diego was up in a flash; even if his words didn't work, his body still knew how to move. Klaus didn't get more than two steps before Diego had grabbed a hold of him again. He wasn't angry now, just driven by a blind panic that something was terribly, horribly wrong, and he didn't know what it was, but he had to fix it. He had to fix it, and if Klaus walked out that door, something might be irreparably broken.

Klaus didn't put up much of a fight and even though tears streamed down his face, he glared at Diego with such a vitriol that, were he a lesser man, Diego might have cowered.

"Why don't you want me?" Klaus asked, voice breaking on the last words.

Diego shook his head, helpless. "I don't know w-w-what you m-mean." His fucking stutter flared but he only had moments to be angry about it. This was more important. Klaus knew him, stutter and all.

Klaus shook his head, looking away. "You say you want me. You touch me like you do. I can tell. But you don't—you don't—" He stopped and swallowed around the words that didn't seem to want to come. "Am I just damaged goods now? Is that it? You can tell me. I can't pretend it won't hurt, or that I won't wanna use. But. 'S not like it's any easier being here and having you stop yourself every time."

Diego's stomach fell the whole time that Klaus spoke. He felt vaguely light-headed and his chest was so tight that he realised he _had_ actually stopped breathing.

He'd never felt so entirely lost for words, and his father had built Number Two's brand on being the strong, silent one.

Diego shook his head again, unable to bring the words to the tip of his tongue. He couldn't even picture them. He just… His head was spinning and fragmented sentences tried to form in his brain, but nothing worked, nothing made sense. He just so desperately had to get Klaus to understand, to show Klaus that, no, no, Klaus wasn't damaged goods. Klaus was _everything_. Diego hadn't known it was possible to love someone so much that it sometimes hurt.

How could he think Diego didn't want him with every fibre of his being? How badly he wanted all of him, in every way? It killed him not to touch Klaus constantly, not to pull him back to bed every morning, to kiss him until he was desperate for it. Diego hadn't done, well, anything sexual before, but he wanted to explore everything with Klaus, learn every single thing that would leave Klaus writhing and moaning. He bet Klaus was a screamer; Diego had wanted to find out for _so long_.

But… He hadn't wanted to hurt Klaus. He knew that sometimes the Johns hurt him, that some days Klaus' body was littered in scrapes and bruises, and other days he walked with a little more stiffness than Diego would have liked. He hadn't wanted to be just another man using Klaus' body for his own pleasure. He hadn't wanted Klaus to see him like that. He had wanted Klaus to want him for him, for none of this to be an act for Klaus, something to grit his teeth and get through.

And yet, despite all the best intentions in the world, he'd fucked up.

Klaus was crying again, not sobs this time, just little hitches of breath and an unrelenting stream of tears rolling down his face, gathering on his jaw. He wasn't making to get away. He was looking at Diego with such devastation that Diego felt it curdle in his gut.

Diego brought his hands up to cup Klaus' impossibly pretty face, and kissed him with everything he had. It was all he could do. The words weren't working, and even if he could get his mouth to cooperate, whatever he said would fall short of how he felt.

Klaus melted into the kiss, still shaking as he cried. He tasted of salt and there was a desperation between them. The cold in his bones was replaced quickly with a fire that threatened to burn him alive; Diego would let it. Diego _wanted_ it to.

He wasn't sure who made the move back towards the mattress first, just knew that Klaus was pulling and he was pushing. Frantic hands were tugging at clothing, doing their best to be rid of the layers separating them. The room was still cold, but Diego didn't care and, it seemed, neither did Klaus.

He'd never been so close to someone before, and it set every cell in his body alight. Klaus long legs wrapped around his waist, his cock very quickly hardening between them.

Klaus pulled him in so close, grinding up against Diego's body. Diego shuddered at the sensation against his cock, burying his face in Klaus' neck. They pressed against each other, breathing into each others mouths as they did. Klaus' hands clutched at his shoulders, blunt nails biting into his skin.

"Want you, so badly," Diego breathed, pulling away enough that he could kiss along Klaus' jaw, Klaus tilting his head back to make it easier for him. "You have no idea how bad."

Klaus whined and sobbed, pulling Diego back to kiss him. His hands were everywhere, and it still wasn't enough. God, how had Diego managed to hold back all this time?

The grind of their bodies together felt so good. Too good. Diego didn't want it to end just yet, not without…

"Hold on, I… I wanna…" Diego broke away again to kiss down Klaus' throat, his chest. One day, he'd take his time with Klaus, see what happened when he bit at his nipples, find out whether he had a sensitive spot on his right hip like Diego did. For now though, he just wanted to make Klaus feel good, to show Klaus just how badly Diego wanted him.

He brought Klaus into his mouth, taking him as far as he could with little preamble. Klaus arched his back, hands grasping at the sheets as he swore.

It was sloppy, and probably not very good, but Diego just did things he thought might feel nice. He licked and sucked, and used his hand to cover things his mouth could not. One day, he'd be able to take Klaus down his throat, would be able to take Klaus apart with his mouth alone.

Klaus didn't seem to mind what he was doing, gasping and pushing into his touch, stomach and thighs trembling. At some point, Klaus must have gotten sick of it, because Diego felt the bite of Klaus' fingers twisting in his hair and pulling him off and then up back to kiss him again.

"Fuck me," Klaus said through the kisses. "Please."

"I—" Diego's stomach did funny things; part of it tightened with fear, the other with aching want.

Klaus pulled back to look at him. His cheeks were still blotchy, and his lips were swollen from kisses. His hair was a disaster, and the circles under his eyes were so dark and only a part of that was his smudged eyeliner. He needed to gain about twenty pounds. Diego loved him so much it took his breath away. 

Diego exhaled shakily and nodded. He was painfully aware that his face was probably much more open and vulnerable than he wanted it to be.

"I've got stuff. Just…" Klaus pushed his torso off the bed and groped around for his coat. He pulled a squished box of condoms from it before throwing the coat back across the room again. He pressed a tacky bottle of lube into Diego's hands and lay back on the bed, pulling Diego down to kiss him again.

It all became a little blurry after that, a mess of kisses, and breathy moans, Klaus' body opening for him as Diego clumsily prepared him, for once in his life, grateful for the instructions. Klaus was so responsive to his awkward touches, and Diego relaxed a little, gaining more confidence with each moan he dragged out of Klaus with his fingers.

And then finally… _Oh_.

Klaus was so tight around him, all cold forgotten as he pressed into pure heat. Klaus' arms came around his shoulders, bringing him even closer. Diego couldn't stop kissing him, moving his hips slowly. Even though he hadn't done this before, and it took him a minute, it came to him pretty naturally.

Diego had to bury his face in Klaus' shoulder, almost terrified at the vulnerability he saw in Klaus' face. He was more scared of what Klaus might see in his. Still, Klaus pulled Diego up by the hair, kissing him softly as Diego moved slowly inside him.

God, it was so good. It was so good, and he had Klaus right there, looking so beautiful in the shadowy room. It was nothing like Diego had expected; it was slow and tender in a way that he didn't know sex could be. Slow had never been something he fantasised about. But there was no other choice, not with the way Klaus was looking at him, was holding him, was kissing him. This _mattered_ in ways Diego wasn't sure he'd ever be able make sense of. He wanted to hold Klaus, and never let go, and never, ever, let this moment end.

But of course, it would have to end. So the next best thing was to draw it out as long as possible, memorising everything about this, from the way Klaus tilted his head back when Diego did something good with his hips, to the messy hair spread on the pillow below him, to the way Klaus was so flexible, his legs so long and lean. He never wanted to forget the sweet little moans Klaus made, the way he bit his lip, and his eyes weren't glazed. He wasn't high. He wasn't letting himself slip away to another place. No, he was right here with Diego, and the way he looked at Diego made him feel like Klaus was seeing _right fucking through him_.

He wanted to hide from it, and he never wanted to look away.

He kissed Klaus again, unable to take being so seen any longer. It was more breathing each other's air than anything else, his mouth swallowing the whimpers Klaus made.

"Love you," Klaus whispered, breath hitching. His blunt nails raked over Diego's scalp through his hair.

Diego nodded, wondering how the fuck he was meant to picture the words in his mind when Klaus was looking at him like _that_ , was holding on like he never wanted to let go.

For once, his mouth cooperated, and the words tumbled from his lips as he moved a little faster in him, a breathless litany of adoration. Klaus whimpered and shook, nodding fiercely and murmuring affirmations, little sounds getting caught in his throat with every thrust.

It took every ounce of his self control not to come, not until Klaus was gasping and clenching around him, his hand between them and his head thrown back as he came. Diego only had a moment to marvel that at the fact that Klaus was actually able to be quiet, before he was shaking as he finally came himself. Heat flooded his entire being, and pleasure swamped him in a way that left him weak and shaky and breathless.

He barely managed to pull out and throw the condom away and was going to curl up beside Klaus, when Klaus wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled Diego on top of him. Klaus was trembling faintly, clinging onto Diego like he'd die if he let go.

Diego just held him back, pressing kiss after kiss to the top of his head, until the cold of the room reminded him of how very naked he was. He felt goosebumps race up his flesh.

When he pulled away, Klaus made a thready sound of distress.

"I'm just getting the blanket," Diego soothed, pulling the scratchy wool over them as he curled around Klaus again. Klaus shifted so that they were lying on their sides facing each other. Klaus pressed their foreheads together, and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Diego said hoarsely. He hadn't meant to… To make Klaus feel like that.

Klaus didn't open his eyes and Diego wasn't sure given the low light, but it looked like some wetness gathered on his eyelashes.

"It's okay," Klaus said softly.

It wasn't. And they'd have to talk about it more later, probably. Maybe.

"You love me?" Klaus asked after a brief silence.

Diego nodded furiously, cupping Klaus' face with one hand to kiss him again. When he broke away, he said, "more than anything."

Klaus smiled and brushed their noses together.

Despite everything, there was still a little twist in his stomach, one that demanded he tell, that he _show_ Klaus just how much he loved him, over and over and over again, until there wasn't a single doubt in his mind.

But for now, all he wanted to do was hold Klaus close, feel the warmth of his breath against his face, and marvel in the knowledge that the love he felt for Klaus was reciprocated.

Diego just hoped that he was worthy of it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading <3 I appreciate all the lovely comments and feedback I've rec'd on this series so far. You feed the lil ~~chaos~~ validation gremlin in me ^.^
> 
> [Reminder: go drink some water and say something nice about yourself. A lot of people are doing it tough right now, and you deserve a nice thing. Or if you're gonna cry a lot, at least be hydrated while doing it <3]


End file.
